This invention relates to a transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium of a type wherein a thermally melting ink is transferred onto a recording sheet by being heated to record given data. More particularly, it relates to a transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium which serves to quickly record images of high resolution.
A conventional transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium is prepared by applying thermally melting ink onto the surface of a thin base of capacitor paper. In recording data by using such a transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium, the following method is generally employed. A thermal head is brought into contact with the thermally melting ink, so that the ink is transferred onto the recording sheet.
With the transfer type heat-sensitive recording medium, the thermally melting ink is heated through the base thereof. Therefore, heat is diffused in the recording medium itself. In this operation heat is also diffused in the thermal head. Therefore, the recording medium is disadvantageous in that the resolution is not more than about 8 to 12 lines/mm.
In order to increase the recording speed, it is necessary to increase energy applied to the thermal head, and in this case, the heating temperature of the heat-sensitive recording medium is also increased. As a result, the degree of heat diffusion in the recording medium and the thermal head are increased. Accordingly, the resolution is lowered, which prevents a high speed recording operation.